Wanted: brook trout anglersAnnouncement - Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Maine Audubon, Trout Unlimited and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, are seeking new volunteers to explore remote ponds with their rods and reels before the end of this year’s fishing season Sept. 30. The partners are looking for anglers willing to survey a total of 187 remote ponds for previously-undocumented populations of wild brook trout.

Free TreesAnnouncement - Monday, August 29, 2011 Through the generosity of Dutton’s Greenhouse and Nursery, more than 1,000 trees, representing 75 different species, are being offered free of charge to municipalities, schools and non-profit organizations for community planting, according to Project Canopy officials. Two distribution dates in Sep and Oct will be set aside to pick up trees at Dutton’s Nursery in Morrill.

Most State Parks, Historic Sites OpenAnnouncement - Monday, August 29, 2011 Maine state parks and historic sites sustained some damage to trees and shorefronts during Tropical Storm Irene, with no buildings or facilities damaged, according to officials with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. All but three parks opened on Monday.

Maine closing state parks and beachesAnnouncement - Friday, August 26, 2011 All coastal Maine state parks and several inland parks will be closed for day use on Sunday in anticipation of Hurricane Irene's arrival in the state, officials announced today.

White Mountain National Forest ClosingAnnouncement - Friday, August 26, 2011 The USFS is issuing a closure order for the White Mountain National Forest due to potentially dangerous conditions caused by Hurricane Irene. The WMNF will close at 6 PM on Saturday, August 27 and will remain closed through Monday, August 29. All WMNF facilities will be CLOSED to the public including the trail system. This includes all backcountry shelters, which are being vacated. The Appalachian Mountain Club will also close all eight White Mountain Huts, Joe Dodge Lodge, and Highland Lodge.

Acadia National Park closing campgroundsAnnouncement - Friday, August 26, 2011 The National Park Service announced today that it will close the Blackwoods and Seawall Campgrounds at Acadia National Park at 10 a.m. on Sunday because of the predicted path of Hurricane Irene. The campgrounds will reopen when the storm has passed. In addition, the Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut will close on Saturday at 11 a.m. and will reopen when conditions are safe.

Woodcock Q&A, Aug 26Event - Posted - Wednesday, August 24, 2011 Chandler Woodcock, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, will lead a public question-and-answer session hosted by the Moosehead Lake Fisheries Coalition. Woodcock will answer questions about hunting, fishing and outdoors-related topics in Maine. At the Rockwood Community Center, Aug 26, 7-9 pm.

PRRT photojournalism workshop, Sep 17 & Oct 1Announcement - Wednesday, August 24, 2011 The Penobscot River Restoration Trust is offering a free conservation photojournalism workshop Sep 17 and Oct 1, allowing a two week period in-between to go on a “photo shoot” focused on the river and the anticipated community benefits of the PRRT Project.

Pesticide NotificationAnnouncement - Wednesday, August 24, 2011 On September 28, the Maine agricultural pesticide notification registry will cease to exist. The law that created this registry was repealed by the Legislature in June. However, state law provides other options for notification about nearby pesticide spraying: (1) Self-Initiated Request for Notification; (2) Non-Agricultural Pesticide Notification Registry.

Lessons from puffins, terns, Aug 31Event - Posted - Wednesday, August 24, 2011 Susie Meadows, manager of Project Puffin, will discuss some of the factors limiting Maine seabird populations and will discuss how techniques developed by Project Puffin have led to the restoration of puffins and terns to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. At the Project Puffin Visitor Center, Rockland, Aug 31 at 5 pm.

Donn Fendler talk, Aug 30Event - Posted - Tuesday, August 23, 2011 On Aug 30, 5-6 PM, the Gardiner Public Library will host Donn Fendler as he discusses his experiences, which led to the book Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Joseph Egan.

Wildflowers, Aug 30Event - Posted - Tuesday, August 23, 2011 Local botanists will talk about a variety of wildflowers appearing around the state this time of year and discuss their importance. At Cathance River Education Alliance, Topsham, Aug 30, 6:30 pm.

Wilton meeting to discuss open space, Aug 23Event - Posted - Monday, August 22, 2011 Wilton residents are invited to participate in a discussion about municipal conservation commissions and their role in assisting towns to develop open space plans. It will be facilitated by conservation resources advisor, Marcel Polak, a land conservation consultant who is working for the Maine Association of Conservation Commissions. At the Wilton Town Office, Aug 23, 7 pm.

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Trump Team’s Memo Hints at Broad Shake-Up of U.S. Energy PolicyBloomberg News - Friday, December 9, 2016 Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump are developing plans to reshape Energy Department programs, help keep aging nuclear plants online and identify staff who played a role in promoting President Barack Obama’s climate agenda. Two Energy Department employees confirmed the questionnaire and said agency staff were unsettled by the Trump team’s information request.

Maine Audubon Deeply Concerned by Nomination of Scott Pruitt to Head EPAMaine Audubon - Friday, December 9, 2016 The nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is a deeply concerning signal of the incoming Trump administration’s approach to environmental issues that have critical implications for Maine wildlife and habitat. It is our hope that Maine’s congressional delegation will honor and protect that legacy, and will apply careful scrutiny to Mr. Pruitt’s record on environmental issues when considering his nomination. Maine’s wildlife — and the many jobs tied to the health and resiliency of our ecosystems — depend on it.

We’ll never hunt on Sunday in MaineGeorge Smith BDN Outdoor News Blog - Friday, December 9, 2016 Here’s a question for you: What is allowed in 46 other states, but never in Maine? Answer: Hunting on Sunday. Thirty nine states allow it in all hunting seasons, another 7 allow it in some seasons and circumstances, and only four, including Maine, prohibit Sunday hunting in all seasons. Here’s why I’m pessimistic about Sunday hunting. Almost every member of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee hunts.

With traffic up 12 percent on Interstate 295, state says ‘volume is really pressing capacity’Portland Press Herald - Friday, December 9, 2016 Average daily traffic volumes on Interstate 295 increased by 12 percent from 2009 to 2015 and are projected to rise again this year, the Maine Department of Transportation said Thursday. If the department’s study shows the road is over capacity, the agency would seek ways to reduce volume through alternate routes or ride sharing before it considered expanding the roadway itself. “We have a lot, a lot of people who are flat-out opposed to a third lane,” said Joyce Taylor, chief engineer for the Department. “It would not be an easy project to get forward and we’re hoping we can do some other things to make this a safer experience.”

Letter: Harmon uninformed on climate changeKennebec Journal - Friday, December 9, 2016 Regarding M.D. Harmon’s commentary on your Dec 2. opinion page entitled “Fake news coming from the left,” how can you print his misinformed statements about climate change? To quote, “sure it’s happening because it always has and it always will.” How simplistic, uninformed, and especially harmful printed as commentary. Would you print a piece by David Duke as commentary? Lending weight to Harmon’s opinions about climate change, which are in sync with big oil and the far right, is equally egregious in my opinion. ~ Susan Suchar, China

Letter: No faith in park serviceBangor Daily News - Friday, December 9, 2016 Imagine what is going to happen to President Barack Obama’s woodlot in northern Maine when a tree falls. First the park service will put up signs warning of the danger to us of falling trees, and then they will close the woods to tourists as they send up a committee to determine the reason the tree fell. ~ Richard Dinsmore, Belfast

Millinocket Marathon’s goal: To get Maine mill town back on its feetPortland Press Herald - Thursday, December 8, 2016 The second annual Millinocket Marathon and Half Marathon is scheduled for Saturday, with nearly 1,000 entrants registered. The runners are attracted not so much by the absence of an entry fee as by the chance to help out a down-on-its-luck mill town. “The whole concept was to spend money in town, go for a run, and maybe bring some cheer to these people,” said event organizer Gary Allen.

New Net Aims to Help Maine Fishermen Land Fewer CodMaine Public - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Some fishermen are pinning their hopes on a new kind of trawl net at use in the Gulf of Maine, designed to scoop up abundant flatfish such as flounder and sole while avoiding species such as cod, which regulators say are in severe decline.

Boot business booms for L.L. BeanWGME-TV13 - Thursday, December 8, 2016 As consumers clamor for products made in the U.S.A., L.L. Bean finds that their business is booming. Royce Haines has worked for L.L. Bean for 30 years. He says though many other companies are outsourcing, L.L. Bean is hiring more workers in the U.S. “We've got another, at least a hundred people we need to hire to support total volume by the end of next year,” Haines said. To keep up with the growing popularity of the boot, Bean is building. "We've got another facility we're opening up in Lewiston, Maine," Haines said. The boots are handmade, 3,000 of them each day, and from beginning to end, every stitch, on every boot, is made in America.

Obituary: Clinton “Bill” TownsendMaine Environmental News - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Clinton “Bill” Townsend died on December 8, 2016. He was an early member of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. He served as president of NRCM, as chairman of the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, on the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission, on the Land for Maine’s Future Board, and on the boards of Maine Rivers, Atlantic Salmon Federation, and Somerset Woods Trustees. He was also active in the removal of Edwards and Fort Halifax Dams, the Penobscot River restoration, and other efforts to prevent new dam construction or to remove existing dams. He was appointed by President George H. W. Bush as one of three U.S. Commissioners to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization.

Poland Spring Proposes Plan to Extract Millions of Gallons of Water from Sites in RumfordMaine Public - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Poland Spring is proposing to expand its water withdrawal operations to Rumford. The company pitched its plan to the Rumford Water District at a meeting Wednesday night. The plan calls for a long-term contract to withdraw up to 150 million gallons from two well sites in the Ellis River watershed. Mark Dubois, natural resource manager for the company, says depending on how much water is withdrawn the town of Rumford could see annual lease and water payments of between $300,000 and $400,000.

Maine Fishing Industry Weighs Effect of Expansive Ocean PlanMaine Public - Thursday, December 8, 2016 An expansive plan meant to serve as a way forward for managing the Northeast's ocean resources has been finalized. The National Ocean Council finalized the Northeast Ocean Plan, which has been under development for several years, with input from various stakeholders. "We're still still trying to figure out what the long term ramifications of this plan will be to the fishing community," says Ben Martens, of the Maine Coast Fisherman's Alliance. Martens says increased interest from other sectors - such as mining, renewable power, aquaculture, and more - will continue to make Maine fishermen nervous.

Amazing fly fishing available in and around our national parksGeorge Smith BDN Outdoor News Blog - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Apparently, as Linda and I and our kids were visiting some of our most amazing national parks, I should have had my fly rod along. Don’t I wish that this new book, 25 Best National Parks To Fly Fish by Terry and Wendy Gunn, were available back then. The very first article was written by Bob Mallard of Skowhegan, about fishing in Acadia National Park.

Maine Huts and Trails selects new leader, plans for expansionBangor Daily News - Thursday, December 8, 2016 An extensive network of backcountry trails and eco-lodges, the Maine Huts and Trails system draws thousands of visitors to western Maine each year to experience the wilderness in a unique way, one that pairs human-powered recreation with first-class backcountry lodging. In 2017, this system will start a new chapter of expansion under the guidance of a new leader. The current director of the Maine Office of Tourism, Carolann Ouellette, will take the helm of Maine Huts and Trails as the organization’s new executive director in mid-January.

Blog: Rural Mainers deserve at least as much conservation attention as rural land Bangor Daily News - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Rural Mainers provide the Mainer flavor that enhances any tourist’s Maine experience and all of our collective experience. The people who espouse the sensibilities born of a more rural lifestyle are a vital natural resource and deserve at least as much conservation attention — politically and financially — as we give to rural land. ~ Patricia Callahan

Opinion: The monument has incredible potential; there should be no uncertainty about its futureBangor Daily News - Thursday, December 8, 2016 This summer, my local hiking group began planning a visit to the proposed national monument. We were thrilled when the land was designated as Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument two weeks before our trip. When the paper industry left, it devastated Maine’s economy, particularly in Penobscot County. But national monuments cannot be exported. National monuments cannot be unmade by presidents. The hard hit communities, people and surviving small businesses in the Katahdin region now have the closest thing a community can get to guaranteed sustainable economic activity. According to the proprietors of Mt. Chase Lodge, that activity is already picking up. Elected officials should support it and keep uncertainty out of the equation. ~ Michelle Moody, Topsham

10 items key for enjoying the outdoors during a Maine winterAislinn Sarnacki Act Out Blog - Thursday, December 8, 2016 For people struggling to get outdoors and actually enjoy the winter in Maine, here are a few pieces of gear that I rely on to keep me warm, comfortable and safe during winter hikes and other outdoor excursions. With holiday season fast approaching, some of these items would make for perfect gifts.

Editorial: Rural Maine towns that take charge have a better shot at successBangor Daily News - Thursday, December 8, 2016 As communities throughout rural Maine grapple with decline, they face a choice about their future. It will look different in each place based on each community’s history and current economic mix and what each community has to offer the rest of the world. Not every area has Moosehead Lake and hundreds of thousands of acres of permanently conserved forest surrounding it to draw people in, but the Moosehead Lake region offers some universal lessons about charting a path forward:• Act as a region• Settle on a vision• There have to be local champions

Fishing groups seek Atlantic wind farm delayAssociated Press - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Commercial fishing companies, trade groups and three fishing-based municipalities are seeking to delay the lease sale of an Atlantic Ocean site between New York and New Jersey that federal officials envision as the home of a massive offshore wind energy project. The motion seeks to delay the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s plans for developers to build a 127-square-mile, 194-turbine offshore wind farm due to negative impacts on fishing. The United States still has no offshore wind projects online.

Low trap counts for spruce budworm doesn’t mean outbreak isn’t loomingBangor Daily News - Thursday, December 8, 2016 As scientists continued to monitor the state’s forests in advance of another battle with the voracious spruce budworm, data gathered this summer show that there were far fewer of the insects on the landscape this summer than a year before. That’s the good news. The bad news: That doesn’t mean another outbreak that could defoliate spruce and fir trees isn’t looming.

A shuttered Maine power plant could become a marijuana tourism meccaLincoln County News - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Joseph Cotter of Mason Station LLC has asked to meet with the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen to discuss the potential for transforming the former Mason Station power plant and surrounding properties into a marijuana tourist destination. Phase I involves converting the main floor of the plant into a greenhouse, manufacturing space for related products, and retail stores. The waterfront buildings along the pier, which offers deep-water access to the Sheepscot River, could be converted into restaurants and gift shops for nonmarijuana-related products. In Phase II of the proposed development, additional social and recreational spaces would be carved out, in addition to spa services and exercise classes. If the project is successful, “we are prepared to construct a 50-room hotel that could accommodate tourists,” in Phase III, Cotter said.

Landowner to Drop Legal Action Against State Over Logging Near Baxter State ParkFree Press - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Charles Fitzgerald, partial owner of a remote forest that is located on the slopes of a wilderness river valley next to Baxter State Park, plans to drop legal action to stop state forestry officials from logging the area, according to his attorney. Bernie Kubetz of Eaton Peabody in Bangor, who represents Fitzgerald, said Fitzgerald and state officials are engaged in constructive negotiations that led to the decision, which will be official next week. “I believe that both Mr. Fitzgerald and the state recognize the unique features of the East Turner Lot,” said Kubetz. “We are hopeful to be able to come to a resolution beneficial to Mr. Fitzgerald, the Bureau, and the people of the state of Maine.”

Environmental Groups Blast Trump’s Pick to Lead EPAMaine Public - Thursday, December 8, 2016 Environmental groups in Maine are condemning the nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Over the past decade Pruitt has sued the EPA multiple times. He has also questioned the scientific basis of climate change, sending letters to the EPA written by oil and gas companies and calling the Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon pollution “unlawful and overreaching.” Beth Ahearn of the Maine Conservation Voters says putting Pruitt in charge of the EPA would be like a “fox guarding the hen house.” Lisa Pohlmann of the Natural Resources Council of Maine says the country needs to accelerate federal action to protect the environment and climate, not reverse direction.

Letter: Reining in wasteful practicesSun Journal - Thursday, December 8, 2016 What a strange and beautiful alliance of Native Americans and veterans, meeting on the plains of North Dakota to bring a halt to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline project. I have to agree with the "water protectors" that everything about the harvesting, transport and usage of crude oil is a lose-lose proposition for everyone on this planet and especially for future generations of citizens who will not look back kindly, much less gratefully, on our greedy and contentious ways. ~ Greg Boardman, Lewiston